Local Editor

The World Health Organization [WHO] warned on Tuesday that public health services in war-torn Yemen have begun to collapse due to funding shortfalls, leaving civilians without access to critical, life-saving health care.

The UN warned on Tuesday of a looming health crisis in Yemen and a death toll that has continued to rise since late March, when Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies backed by the United States began a deadly military aggression by launching airstrikes against Yemen. The airstrikes have not been authorized by the United Nations [UN].

Between March 19 and August 5, 4,345 people have been killed and 22,110 injured in Yemen due to the conflict, WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said at a press conference in Switzerland’s Geneva on Tuesday.

Jasarevic went on to note that public health services in Yemen had begun to collapse due to a lack of funding. 

"More than 20 percent of all health facilities [in Yemen] are not functional or are only partially functional," he said.

"The situation in Yemen in general is very difficult, because of the departure of health professionals who are fleeing the violence," he said. "This has led to a shortage of qualified health workers."

According to the WHO, about 15.2 million people in Yemen - including some 1.2 million who have been internally displaced by the conflict - are in serious need of live-saving assistance in Yemen. 

Jasarevic said that while health needs continue to grow, funding for an effective health response remains limited.

"Out of 151 million US dollars required to meet the health needs of internally displaced persons in Yemen until the end of 2015, only 23 million USD has been received, leaving a funding gap of 85 percent," he noted.

The spokesperson warned if WHO does not receive much needed funds in the next coming months, a number of critical health care services will be forced to shut down.